Softball

UCLA Athletics | April 18, 2015

UCLA tallies fifth consecutive run-rule win

LOS ANGELES -- Eighth-ranked UCLA recorded its fifth consecutive mercy-rule victory on Friday at Easton Stadium, defeating No. 18 California 8-0 in five innings. Gracie Goulder and Stephany LaRosa each homered, while Ally Carda struck out six in a one-hit shutout.

The Bruins improve to 36-8 overall and 10-3 in Pac-12 play, while the Golden Bears fall to 32-10 and 5-8 in league action.

Eight different Bruins accounted for their nine hits, as Maddy Jelenicki recorded a pair. Carda moved to 19-4 on the season, allowing just a first-inning walk and a third-inning single, both with two outs. She struck out one in every inning, including two in the second, setting down the last seven of the game.

The Bruins jumped out to a two-run lead in the first when Delaney Spaulding led off with a single to left and came home on LaRosa’s team-leading ninth home run of the season, which hit the fair pole down the right field line.

In the second, Gabrielle Maurice walked, moved to second on a Goulder sacrifice and to third on a wild pitch. Two batters later, a sacrifice fly to left off the bat of Kylee Perez plated Maurice with the Bruins’ third run.

UCLA tacked on three more in the third on one swing of the bat thanks to a two-out rally. Jelenicki singled up the middle, Maurice walked and Goulder crushed her third homer of the season to right center to put the home team up 6-0.

A two-spot in the fifth sent everyone home early for the fifth game in a row.